Slimming World has changed its rules and one popular snack is no longer syn-free

One of the nation’s most-followed weight loss programmes, Slimming World, has updated its diet rules and one popular snack is now not on the ‘syn-free’ menu, Muller Light yogurts.

A favourite guilt-free snack for Slimming World followers, Muller Light yoghurts are fat-free and have always been syn-free on the diet plan, until now. Following the updated rules, a Muller Light yogurt will now cost dieters 1 Syn.

According to Slimming World, all food and drink that isn’t ‘free’ has a Syn value and members can enjoy between five and 15 Syns daily.

The idea of the yoghurts adding to the syn quota shook the Slimming World community on social media, with the news since being confirmed by the brand.

A Slimming World spokesperson said: ‘Our Nutrition team routinely review our Food Optimising eating plan to ensure it’s up to date, in line with the latest guidance, and to take into account feedback from our 5,000 Consultants and 900,000 Slimming World members.

'In addition, a number of products – fat-free flavoured yogurts, tinned pasta shapes in tomato sauce and instant mashed potato – that were previously Free on our plan, meaning they could be eaten without weighing, counting or measuring, will now have a small Syn value.'

‘This is because some of these foods are often eaten in large amounts, as a "snack" rather than being enjoyed as part of a meal, or because they’re less filling than alternatives, such as mashed potato made with fresh potatoes, or dried pasta with a home-made tomato sauce,’ she explained.

Although, she pointed out that the Syn value will be low, so they can still be enjoyed by Slimmers.

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Slimming World have also taken vegan diets into account under their new guidelines and have listed vegan foods such as canned jackfruit and plain and unsmoked seitan, as Free for Slimmers.

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 groups held weekly across the UK and Republic of Ireland.